Cruiserweight: 2013: Aug 19-25

Undefeated prospect Yunier Dorticos was supposed to fight on the Geale-Barker undercard, but the fight didn’t come off. No changes.

Dan’s Top 20 (weeks in current position-weeks in top 10 (if applicable)-weeks in top 20)Champ: None1) Denis Lebedev (4-185-185)Last Fight: 5/17/2013- L (TKO11) vs. Guillermo Jones (UNR)Next Fight: UnknownLebedev was winning the fight on points against Jones when his eye ballooned and he faded to a stoppage. Who’s to say that he wouldn’t have won if Jones had been weakened by making weight the right way (or by not using whatever PEDs he may have been masking with the substance)? Lebedev is accorded the benefit of the doubt, and will be treated like the fight never happened.2) Yoan Pablo Hernandez (49-165-165)Last Fight: 9/15/2012- W*(UD12) vs. #20 Troy RossNext Fight: UnknownFinally some Hernandez news: his hand has been slow to heal, but he’s ready to train again. He’s looking at a likely October fight with Alekseev.3) Troy Ross (49-49-81)Last Fight: 9/15/2012- L*(UD12) vs. #1 Yoan Pablo HernandezNext Fight: UnknownQuote from Ross’s Twitter: “If the right opportunity arises I will fight again.” That sounds more like a semi-retired fighter than the guy that just outfought the division’s #1 contender. Here’s hoping he starts hunting for good fights like a starving mountain man any second now.4) Marco Huck (4-350-350)Last Fight: 6/8/2013- W (MD12) vs. #5 Ola AfolabiNext Fight: 9/14/2013- vs. #6 Firat ArslanHuck will make a mandatory defense in a rematch against Firat Arslan on September 14.5) Krzysztof Wlodarczyk (4-426-426)Last Fight: 6/21/2013- TKO8 Rakhim Chakhkiev (UNR)Next Fight: Unknown
Wlodarczyk indicated interest in moving up to fight Adamek, but Adamek isn’t for it, and Albert Sosnowski has been discussed instead. Meanwhile, his mandatory is Giacobbe Fragomeni, who would have little chance after struggling to practical stalemates with 46-47 year old Silvio Branco.6) Firat Arslan (4-67-110)Last Fight: 4/27/2013- UD10 Varol Vekiloglu (UNR)Next Fight: 9/14/2013- vs. #4 Marco HuckSee Huck’s notes, above.
7) Thabiso Mchunu (3-3-41)Last Fight: 8/3/2013- UD10 Eddie Chambers (UNR)Next Fight: UnknownMchunu intends to be back by the end of the year, and stays he’ll take on anyone in the division. I don’t blame him. I’d pick him to beat anyone.8) Ola Afolabi (3-232-232) Last Fight: 6/8/2013- L (MD12) vs. #8 Marco HuckNext Fight: UnknownAfolabi is rumored for the next Monaco Million Dollar Super 4 tournament, along with BJ Flores, Ilunga Makabu, and Australian prospect Brad Pitt.9) Danny Green (3-41-194)Last Fight: 11/21/2012- UD12 Shane Cameron (UNR)Next Fight: UnknownGreen is leaning toward retirement at last check.10) B.J. Flores (3-12-165)Last Fight: 10/6/2012- TKO2 David McNemar (UNR)Next Fight: UnknownFlores has been released from his contract with Don King, and is now rumored for an upcoming Million Dollar tournament in Monaco, with the other participants rumored to be Ilunga Makabu, Brad Pitt, and Ola Afolabi.11) Giacobbe Fragomeni (3-249)Last Fight: 7/27/2013- UD8 Toni Visic (UNR)Next Fight: UnknownFragomeni snuck in a strictly stay-busy fight with Toni Visic on about 1 day’s notice as far as I can tell.12) Silvio Branco (3-75)Last Fight: 7/6/2013- W (TD10) vs. Juho Haapoja (UNR)Next Fight: UnknownBranco continues to chug along at 47 years young. He’s like a lower-level Hopkins.13) Alexander Alekseev (3-136)Last Fight: 2/22/2013- UD12* Garrett Wilson (UNR)Next Fight: UnknownAlekseev is very likely for a shot at Yoan Pablo Hernandez in October.14) Mateusz Masternak (3-73)Last Fight: 4/13/2013- TKO9 Sean Corbin (UNR)Next Fight: 10/5/2013- vs. #18 Grigory DrozdThe Masternak-Drozd fight on October 5 no longer appears on Boxrec’s schedule. That’s usually an ominous sign. Still, I have seen no report of it falling through, so I’ll continue to list it until I actually hear otherwise.15) Francisco Palacios (3-125)Last Fight: 9/22/2012- L(U12) vs. #7 Krzysztof WlodarczykNext Fight: UnknownPalacios very likely will not fight until after his contract with Don King expires in September.16) Ilunga Makabu (3-6)Last Fight: 7/13/2013- W (MD12) vs. #17 Dmytro KucherNext Fight: 8/31/2013- vs. Eric Fields (UNR)Makabu takes on borderline top-30 Oklahoma one-loss prospect Eric Fields in South Africa on August 31. He’s also rumored for a Monaco 4-man tournament in the fall along with Flores, Afolabi, and Australian Brad Pitt.17) Enad Licina (4-165)Last Fight: 7/27/2013- UD6 Marko Rupcic (UNR)Next Fight: UnknownLicina has been fighting nobodies slightly over the heavyweight limit since November. He’ll be removed in November for inactivity at cruiserweight if he doesn’t schedule something at 200 by then, or in January if he does that but doesn’t get a significant win, since his last one will be 5 years old then.18) Grigory Drozd (4-41)Last Fight: 12/17/2012- UD12 Jean-Marc Monrose (UNR)Next Fight: 10/5/2013- vs. #14 Mateusz MasternakSee Masternak’s notes, above.19) Dmytro Kucher (4-60)Last Fight: 7/13/2013- L (MD12) vs. Ilunga Makabu (UNR)Next Fight: UnknownKucher is practically back to square one after falling short against Makabu.20) Krzysztof Glowacki (4-4)Last Fight: 4/20/2013- UD8 Taylor Mabika (UNR)Next Fight: Unknown

THE WEEK AHEAD: Two fights to mention this week:

Friday in Galati, Romania, gatekeepers Nuri Seferi of Albania/Macedonia/Switzerland and Garrett Wilson of the US face off in a fairly intriguing battle.